Shenefield death investigation draws more felony charges for Palmetto man
Manatee Herald staff report
A 51-year-old Palmetto man, who Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells called a known drug dealer, has drawn more charges in the death investigation of a local woman, to include sexual battery.
William Redden remains in custody on charges of voyeurism, sexual battery, tampering with evidence and abuse of a dead body, along with other charges in the death of 38-year-old Stephanie Shenefield.
Detectives began investigating a missing persons case on June 5 when Shenefield was reported missing 48 hours prior.
According to the sheriff’s office, detectives discovered Shenefield’s cell phone was last located at Redden’s home in the 200 block of 30th Street East, in Palmetto.
On June 8, detectives made contact with Redden at the home where Redden admits Shenefield was there, but claimed she had left with another person.
According to detectives, when asked for his cellphone, Redden said he had, “wiped the phone and deleted data.”
Redden had a surveillance system in his home, which detectives confiscated.
According to court documents, the following occurred:
Surveillance shows Shenefield arriving via an Uber at 1:20 a.m. on June 3.
About an hour later, Redden is seen having sex with Shenefield, who is observed on video as being “unresponsive on the couch.”
Redden then moves Shenefield to the floor and back to the couch before taking her unresponsive body out of camera view to the bedroom.
According to the arrest warrant, two hours later at around 4:30 a.m., Redden is observed going through Shenefield’s personal belongings that were still in the living room.
At 9:21 a.m., Redden emerges back into camera view wearing a pair of latex gloves, where he collects all of her belongings.
Twenty minutes later, Redden is observed dragging Shenefield’s body through the house wrapped in a bedsheet.
Detectives say Redden stops to remove the sim card from Shenefield’s cellphone before loading her body into a white GMC Arcadia and then drives away at around 12:22 p.m.
Redden is seen returning to his home at 2:32 p.m.
Redden was arrested early in the investigation on June 9 for felon in possession of a weapon. During the initial search of Redden’s home for Shenefield, a firearm was located in the residence and the serial number had been defaced.
Detectives learned that Redden is an eight-time convicted felon.
Redden was additionally charged on June 13 while he was in custody with tampering with evidence and abuse of a human body.
Detectives say Redden dumped Shenefield’s body into a ditch. Her badly decomposed body was discovered days later.
On June 16, law enforcement added the charges of voyuerism and sexual battery.
Additional charges are possible as the medical examiner works to determine the cause of death.
Ellenton man thinks Corona beer is so nice he tried to steal it twice
A 43-year-old Palmetto man is facing felony charges after attempting to steal several cases of Corona beer from two different stores.
Palmetto police say Christopher Heindorf attempted to steal four cases of Corona from the Winn-Dixie in Palmetto, but was stopped by a store employee.
Heindorf left the beer and fled the store. While police were investigating the theft, a call came over the radio that someone was trying to steal Corona beer from a nearby convenience store.
When police arrived, Heindorf was still on the scene and police determined it was the same person involved in the Winn-Dixie theft attempt.
Police learned that Heindorf has more than three prior retail theft convictions, thus elevating the attempted beer theft to a felony charge.
Heindorf was booked into the Manatee County jail where he remains in custody on bonds totaling $2,000.
7-time convicted felon arrested on gun charge
A 26-year-old Bradenton man with seven felony convictions, as well as being wanted on “multiple” violent crime warrants, was arrested for being armed with a gun, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies say Kelvon Turner was arrested on June 10 just after 6 p.m. in the 900 block of Sixth Street West.
Detectives with the Violent Crimes Task Force made contact with Turner, who started to walk away from law enforcement.
Turner eventually stopped and raised his hands, at which time detectives saw a loaded handgun in the front of his waistband.
Among his prior convictions include a 2016 conviction for felon in possession of a firearm.
Turner remains in custody without bond on multiple bond revocations.
Attack of the weedwacker
A 53-year-old Palmetto man is facing a felony charge of causing great bodily injury after attacking another man with a weedwacker, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies say Shawn Williams got into a verbal argument with a co-worker on June 7 when he swung the weedwacker, striking the victim. During the altercation, the victim suffered a fractured arm.
Williams was arrested on June 9 and booked into the Manatee County jail. He was released the following day after posting bond.
Publix pharmacy tech helped herself to drugs
An internal audit conducted on May 18 at area Publix pharmacies disclosed a “significant amount,” of Diazepam pills were missing.
Manatee County sheriff’s deputies say they met with loss prevention where video showed Regina Pomerleau, 57, placing the pills into her pocket while working at the Publix pharmacy at 5001 SR 64 E.
Pomerleau is seen helping herself to the pills on the afternoon of April 24, according to the arrest report.
Deputies say they met Pomerleau at her home on June 6 where she told deputies she didn’t know why she stole the 460 pills, felt bad about it, and claimed she flushed the pills down the toilet.
Pomerleau was charged and arrested on June 10. She posted bonds totaling $3,000 the same day and was released.
